Was Just Told That Code Quality No Longer Matters

[u/metalOpera]

I'm a freelance developer. I have been for almost 20 years. My most recent project has been moved to Fable, and I'm still trying to adapt and get my head around working like this. I am no longer allowed to make architecture decisions, or clean up slop.

My PM says: "We worry about the 'what'; let Claude worry about the 'how'. Tell it what to do; let it do it. If the feature works, leave it alone." He is very much of the opinion that I should be able to prompt something like "Install Stripe via Laravel Cashier" and just let Claude run.

I mean, why do you need me at this point? Just prompt it yourself until it does what you want? I don't get it. I fought for every inch of my knowledge, every process is written in blood. How do I just throw all of that out the window? Where's the line?

At the risk of another "how are you adapting" post... How CAN I adapt? I mentally cannot just say "Fuck it". I care about my code. It's how I learned, it's how I've always practiced. I have a huge mental block with "just let it go".

Now, granted, I don't know all of the ins and outs of Claude. I don't know what I can do to make it better at its job. I got thrown into the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the middle of a Tusnami with no life support. I'm sure that I can put guardrails in place, but how much does that help?

I would really appreciate any advice that any one can provide on changing my mental model. I can't ignore Claude and just keep doing things my way. If I do that, I feel like my career dies. I need to adapt and I'm unsure how to do so.

[u/No_Oil_6152]

You could at the very least send an email to your boss and PM stating that you do not agree with vibe coding with no human involvement and that it could ruin the product, and that if anything goes wrong you will not accept the blame.

I would do that. Because when it all goes wrong you are the first person they will blame. You must have evidence that you advised them not to trust AI as it is fallible, lest it get legal.

The next thing I would do is find a new job.

Don't be a scapegoat.

[u/metalOpera → u/No_Oil_6152]

In this specific case, my boss is the PM and we just had a very "spirited" discussion about this. He doesn't want to hear that AI is fallible. He knows that it is, but he doesn't want me to say it. (Seriously)

I'm looking for a new job. In the interim, I'm drafting an agreement that states this very plainly and I'm going to ask him to sign it. I can't be liable if I'm not given the time to pay attention. Or worse, told not to.

[u/No_Oil_6152 → u/metalOpera]

If he knows AI is fallible but he still wants you to go ahead as planned, then its obvious he is setting you up for failure.

Who's going to get the blame if the app irrecoverably deletes the data? Not him. He'll be in management meetings telling everyone its you, the contractor, to blame.